Tourism operators earn millions of dollars every year from marine and coastal ecosystem-related activities and in return they pay nothing towards the management of those marine and coastal ecosystems.
This is stated in a report titled “National marine ecosystem service valuation: Fiji” report that has been released by Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
The report states the marine and coastal ecosystems surrounding Fiji have contributed to the development of tourism activities.
“Both local and international tourists come to Fiji to enjoy the ocean scenery, diving, snorkelling, parasailing and game fishing activities,” states the report. However, the oceans of Fiji are in danger of mismanagement.
“Tourism operators earn millions of dollars every year from marine and coastal ecosystem-related activities.
“However, in return they pay nothing towards the management of those marine and coastal ecosystems or the local communities that also use them. A central question that should be addressed in a sustainable management plan for tourism is how tourism can contribute to sustainable management of marine resources and poverty alleviation not only in areas surrounding sites of touristic interest but also to the rest of the country.”
The report adds any policy mechanism for encouraging sustainable management of coastal and marine resources can be measured equivalent to the REDD+ project.
“The creation of a government conservation fund that would administer and finance conservation initiatives using the revenues from environmental taxes would certainly facilitate the implementation of conservation policies.”
